Apparatus for cleaning and conditioning fabrics



M. F. FLYNN March 1, 1932.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND CONDITIONING FABRICS 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Original Filed April 26 FABRICS M. F. FLYNN March 1, 1932.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND CONDITIONING 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet OriginalFiled April 26 N j; ENTOR, MfiI/t/ r ATTORNEY,

Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFI MORTIMER r. FLYNN, orwns'r NEW nnroirron, NEW- xonx APPARATUS non CLEANINGLAND conmrronmomemes Application and April 26; 1928, Serial ing the dust or dirt byvacuum treatment, the

efiiciency of which is greatly increased by the conditioning operation.To these ends, the invention comprises, as broadly described, vacuumcleaning mechanism including an exhaust blower and suction nozzle andusually provided withmeans such as wheels for traversing it over thefabric such as a rug or carpet, and napping or pile,

raising mechanism including a roll having metallic, burred napping .or:pile raising bristles and arranged in relation to the suc tion nozzle sothat when the latter is traversed overthe fabric, the bristles first actupon the fabric to open up its weft or woof, or to raise,

" straighten and open the pile of the fabric,

and at the same time loosen any embedded or. matted extraneous mattersuch as .dust or dirt, whereupon the draft of air enteringthe suctionnozzle more efficiently takes up and. removes such extraneous material.

In preferred forms of the invention, ap bristle-alinging orstraightening bar is provided and this is also desirably arrangedassharpening means to sharpen or renew the bristle burrs. The nappingcylinder is also desirably movably supported in relation to the head orsuction nozzle of the:vacuum mecha.nism,-and provided with means actingautomatically to lower the cylinder to active position when theapparatus is advanced upon the fabric and to retract or raise thecylinder to a non-operative position when the apparatus is retracted. 1

I also provide novel and improved means for continuously cleaning thenapping cylinder (or bristles), such means including in a preferredexample a cleaner or comb which removes extraneous matter from thebristles, and a stripper acting at frequent intervals to clean the comb.

no. 272,967. Renewed my 25, 1931.

The invention is capable of physical'em bodiment as a completemachine,'or it may beembodied by applying to or combining with a vacuumcleaner ofany' known, standard or suitable type, the napping cylinderand other elements of the fabric-conditioning mechanism. I

The'characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersufficiently explained in connection with the following'detailxdescription of the accompanying drawings,

: which show one representative embodiment;

After considering this example, skilled per-I sons will understand thatmany variations may be made without departing from the principlesdisclosed, "and I contemplate-the employmentof any structuresthat areiprop: erly within the scope of theapp ended claims. Fig; 1 isaperspectiveview'of-apparatus embodying the invention in one form.Fig.'2'is a section in a longitudinal-plane of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a similar section showinga different'position of the parts. IFigzis a halfplan view of the machine with some parts broken away.'-Fig.' 5 is a sectionald tail on 5-5, of

In the present particular example, the conditioning mechanism iscombined with or aplied to a vacuum cleaner V of known or standard typeof which the casing Chas a part 1 enclosing thee'xh'aust' fan or blower,discharging into a bag 2 and connected to the vacuum head 3, the'lowerface of whichis formed with the vacuum or-suction nozzle 4. The motorcasing 5 is connected at the rear of casing portion 1 and a handle orhandle shaft 6'is' also connected to' the casing. The casing orespecially the vacuum head is supported at proper elevation above thefabric such as a carpet or rug by wheels 7 revolving on stub shafts Swhich are connected to arms 9 pivot-ally mounted on ends of the suctionh head M10. The arms are connected at the rear of the head byacross-piece 11, and ad justing means such as the screw 12 isprovided toregulate the height of the nozzle by pivotal movement. of the frameincluding r arms9 and cross-piece 11. H

inder such as the various devices of this class of my invention. In thepresent example, the roll structureincludes acoreor shaft 16', the endsof whichare revolubly mounted in hearings in side plates or brackets 17.The

brackets are pivotally connected at 18 to the;

forward ends of arms 19, and these arms are fixedlyconnected by screwsor'studs 20 to the arms 9 of the vacuum" apparatus.- Rear- Ward edges'ofthe brackets 11 are provided with" shoulders or stops 21 and 22"co-operating with pins23 fixed in arms'l9 to'limit the upward anddownward swinging movementsof the brackets and the conditioning rollwhich they support. The swinging frame or 'mechanism including the'brackets and theconditioning roll are supported and con trolled bywheels 24: revolubly mounted on stub shaft 25 and secured thereon byscrews 26. secured in brackets 17 as at 27 ,-Fsig. :5, and

frictionmeans is provided such as the spring.

washers 28=located between the brackets and the wheels,tending to-retardtherotation of the wheels in relation to the brackets andaby thisfrictional reaction upon the'brackets, the frame is caused to rotatecounter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 and bring the bristles of theconditioning roll in contact with the fabric andma-intain them firmly inproper contact, during advancing movement of the apparatus; and When-theapparatus is retracted or moved to the right asviewed 'in- Fig. 3, thefrictional drag acting uponthe brackets raises the frame and roll 16clear of the fabric and maintains them in this position until theapparatus is again advanced for a cleaning action.v 7

Means may be provided such as a stop 30 slidably mounted-on. one of thearms 19 and engageable above the shoulder member 21, to maintain theswinging frame and rollin: upward, inactive position. while theapparatus is not in use.

The body 1-6 of the conditioning roll is provid'ed with a multiplicityof uniformly arranged and spaced bristles which may be of differentforms or arrangements and secured to the rollbody in various waysincluding the forms or arrangements shown in my U. S. Patent No.1,:')83,587, and pending applications. The bristles may be angularlybent or straight; as shown in the present example, wherein the bristles.are arranged angularly in relation to radii of the roll and alsoinclined forwardly withrespeet tothe active or forward motion ,of theapparatus,

The inner ends of the stubshafts are.

that is to the left as viewed in Fig. 2. At the end of each bristle is atooth or burr 36, these being directed approximately at a right angle tothe lower portion of the bristles and also directed forwardly inrelation to their active contact with the fabric; that is the burrsproject to the left ahead of their respective bristles as they engagevthe. fabric F when the apparatus is advanced in the opposite direction.

Means is provided for positioning or straightening the bristles, suchmeans consisting in this example of atransverse bar 37 located abovetheroll and in contact with the ends of the bristles and adjustablymounted as by screws 38 and 39on lugs or ears 40 which are in-bentmembers on brackreverse rotation: of the rollv is prevented bythe-automatic roll-elevatingaction whenthe apparatus is moved reversely,as sufficientlyv explained above;

A guard 41 is desirably placed above andabout the roll to. preventimproper contact of the bristles with other objects, this guard beinginthe form of a part-cylindrical, perforatedflmetal sheet secured inposition by: the. screws 38 or 39. 1

I also preferably provide cleaning means for keeping thebristlescontinually clear of dust, dirt or other extraneous matter,removed from the fabric. Such means con'- sists in the present exampleof a. comb including teeth 45 secured atregularly spaced intervals in across-bar 46 supported by arms 47 fixedly secured to arms 19 asby-screws 48. The'for-ward ends. of the teeth, between which thebristles pass are preferably bent slightly downward as at 50 to moreefiectively scrape from the bristles the extraneous matter thereon, someof which will drop to" the fabric surface for subsequent removal by theair draft. Some of this material will however accumulate in the comb andto pcriodically remove such material from the: comb I provide a stripperconsistingof a cross-bar 5'1 having-laterally bent ends 52 rigidlysecured to brackets 17 and having on its lower face teeth 53interfitting withthe: teeth of the comb; WVhenever the frame in cludingbracket 17 is elevated in a retractive movementof the apparatus, thestripper teeth 53 are moved upward or to the left'in relation to thecomb teeth as viewed iii-Fig. 2, to the position shownini Fig. 3,wherethe stripper teeth are entirely clea'r 'of' the comb Any 111-. uryto the bristles which might 'be caused; by

and in such movement the comb is cleared of extraneous material.

In operatlon, the motor of the vacuum apparatus is put into operation asusual, and

the apparatus is pushed to the left over the fabric such as a rug orcarpet, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. At the beginning of thismovement, the napping roll is automatically lowered and held in properfirm contact with the fabric in the manner above explained. The rollthen rotates counterclockwise with resistance to such rotation providedby the bar 37 in contact with the upward bristles, and the lowerbristles enter into the pile of the fabric and engage the weft threadsthereof and as the bristles rise out of contact with the fabric theyproperly separate, elevate and restore the pile to its proper uprightposition and at the same time loosen or practically pick from the fabricany embedded or encrusted foreign material; and immediately thereafterthe suction head passing over the conditioned surface removes the dustand dirt therefrom with greatly increased efficiency due to the fabricconditioning and dirt loosening action of the roll 16. During suchmovement the teeth or burrs 36 are continually renewed or ning ofreverse movement of the apparatus the roll is automatically elevated andremains in elevated position free from contact with the fabric until thebeginning of the next advance movement of the apparatus. In theelevating movement of the roll, the comb is stripped or cleaned as alsoabove explained.

My invention provides for positively and mechanically separating,raising, straightening and restoring the pile Without removing anysubstantial part of it or causing any injury to the fabric and in fact,the condition of rugs and carpets is materially improved while thenatural pile surface is being effectively restored and at the same timethe fabric surface is placed in proper condition for the effectiveextraction therefrom of dust and dirt by the vacuum draft.

The apparatus is also valuable for cleaning and restoring the nap ofsuch fabrics as blankets, and it may also be embodied in or applied tovacuum cleaning apparatus'of other types, such as small hand devices andin such cases may be used effectively for cleaning and re-nappinggarments, etc.

It will be observed from the provision of means of my aforesaidinvention, that any depressed portion of the pile of a carpet or the napof fabric in general is restored to its predetermined normal heightabove the warp and woof woven structure of the same, and similarly inthe event of worn off portions of the pile or the nap, the bristles ofthe napbristles on the warp and woof strands. Such restoration andrenewal. actionsare definrte-.

1y controlled by'the predetermined factors of the constructionof thebristles and their burred ends, and in particular the definite.

height to which the depressed portions and the renewed portions of thepile or nap are raised above the warpand woof structure of the carpet orother'fabric.

. Whereas I have described reference to specific forms thereof, it willbe understood that many changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with vacuum cleaning apparatus, a fabric conditioningroll arranged to contact with a fabric in. advance of the vacuum suctionnozzle in the active direction of movement and comprising a multiplicityof burred bristles engaging the fabric to open and restore the surfacestructure thereof and increase the effectiveness of thevacuum action- 2.In combination with vacuum cleaning apparatus including a suction headhaving a nozzle, a fabric conditioning roll revolubly mounted inrelation to said apparatus,

said roll including a multiplicity of burred bristles, and meansactuated by movement of the apparatus in opposite directions to lowerthe roll to contact with a supporting fabric and to raise the roll fromcontact therewith.

3. In combination with vacuum cleaning apparatus including a suctionhead having a nozzle adjacent a supporting surface, fabric conditioningmechanism including a conditioning roll revolubly mounted in advance ofsaid head and also supported for vertical movement, means acting in onedirection of movement of the apparatus to lower the cond tioning rollinto engagement with the fabno and in the other direction to elevate theroll free from the fabric, said roll lowering and elevating meansincluding supporting wheels for said conditioning roll, thecoriditloning roll being provided with a plurality of burred bristles,and a bar in contact with the bristles serving as a roll retarder.

4. In combination with the suction head of vacuum cleaning apparatus,brackets pivotally mounted in relation to said head, a

conditioning roll revolubly mounted in the my invention by ion inrelation to a supporting surface, the conditioning roll having amultiplicity of-burred bristles.

:6. In combination with the suction'headi of vacuum cleaning apparatus,brackets piv-I otally mounted in relation to said "head a conditioningroll revolubly mounted in the brackets, wheels carried by the brackets,

means actuated by rotation of said wheels.

in opposite directions to oscillate the brackets and move the rollupward anddownward in relation to a supporting surface, and means forreleasably retaining the roll in upward position. i

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 11th day ofApril,l928. '7

MORTIMER F. FL'YNN.

